Sport Statistics

One night in the early fall of 1972 in the dank visitors' locker room at Boston Garden, brand-spanking-new Philadelphia 76er Coach Roy Rubin couldn't contain himself. His team had just knocked off the Celtics in an exhibition game and Rubin felt like, well, boasting. You know what it was? It was a victory for Philly cheese steak over New England clam chowder, and Rubin could just taste it. Gosh, Rubin hadn't been so excited since his coaching days at Long Island University.

Pete Carroll was a head coach for four seasons in the NFL, but never held a head coaching job in college and has been out of coaching since he was fired by the New England Patriots after the 1999 season. He finished 33-31 as an NFL head coach, won the AFC East with New England in 1997, and qualified for the playoffs as a wild-card entrant in 1998: THE COLLEGE FILE School with job title and team record: * 1974.............................PACIFIC Graduate asst./wide receivers..........

It was in September of 1988 that Orel Hershiser set a major league record by pitching 59 straight scoreless innings, setting the tone for his most-valuable-player performances in the Dodgers' playoff victory over the New York Mets and World Series victory over the Oakland Athletics.

It will be difficult to argue against anybody's selection for horse of the year in what has been a very strange 1999. Three of the best cases can be made for Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Charismatic, Victory Gallop, even Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Artax, although some Californians can't forget his finishing seventh, seventh and fifth in his last three starts last winter at Santa Anita.

It will be difficult to argue against anybody's selection for horse of the year in what has been a very strange 1999. Three of the best cases can be made for Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Charismatic, Victory Gallop, even Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Artax, although some Californians can't forget his finishing seventh, seventh and fifth in his last three starts last winter at Santa Anita.

Pete Carroll was a head coach for four seasons in the NFL, but never held a head coaching job in college and has been out of coaching since he was fired by the New England Patriots after the 1999 season. He finished 33-31 as an NFL head coach, won the AFC East with New England in 1997, and qualified for the playoffs as a wild-card entrant in 1998: THE COLLEGE FILE School with job title and team record: * 1974.............................PACIFIC Graduate asst./wide receivers..........

Hermosa Beach seventh-graders stepped up to the plate Wednesday for the beginning of a five-day fantasy baseball series in which America's favorite pastime is helping make students excited about math. Hermosa Valley School students spent the last few weeks gearing up for the games, which had all kinds of big league fanfare, including peanuts, Cracker Jacks and the ceremonial "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" blaring in the background.

Numberzzzzz: At the rate the betting line for the Super Bowl is going--17, 18, 19, 20 all aboard!--it could be in triple figures before XXIX graces our televisions Jan. 29. Nebraska might not be that much of a 'dog.

Magic Johnson's latest declaration that he's not coming back, an abrupt reversal of what he had told NBC only days before, caused few waves from observers who have heard him change his mind several times before. New York Daily News columnist Mark Kriegel plainly thinks Johnson has changed his mind a few times too many.

Advantage, Houston. . . . The Rockets will play the New York Knicks tonight at the Summit and home teams have won 11 of the 14 seventh games in the NBA finals. . . . Besides, the Rockets have the best player, Hakeem Olajuwon, and that gives them the slight edge over the team with the best coach, Pat Riley. . . . The first to score 90 should win. The highest total by a loser in the series has been 89 by New York in Game 3. . . .

One night in the early fall of 1972 in the dank visitors' locker room at Boston Garden, brand-spanking-new Philadelphia 76er Coach Roy Rubin couldn't contain himself. His team had just knocked off the Celtics in an exhibition game and Rubin felt like, well, boasting. You know what it was? It was a victory for Philly cheese steak over New England clam chowder, and Rubin could just taste it. Gosh, Rubin hadn't been so excited since his coaching days at Long Island University.

Hermosa Beach seventh-graders stepped up to the plate Wednesday for the beginning of a five-day fantasy baseball series in which America's favorite pastime is helping make students excited about math. Hermosa Valley School students spent the last few weeks gearing up for the games, which had all kinds of big league fanfare, including peanuts, Cracker Jacks and the ceremonial "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" blaring in the background.

Numberzzzzz: At the rate the betting line for the Super Bowl is going--17, 18, 19, 20 all aboard!--it could be in triple figures before XXIX graces our televisions Jan. 29. Nebraska might not be that much of a 'dog.

It was in September of 1988 that Orel Hershiser set a major league record by pitching 59 straight scoreless innings, setting the tone for his most-valuable-player performances in the Dodgers' playoff victory over the New York Mets and World Series victory over the Oakland Athletics.

When Jason Giambi was a baby, his dad put a toy bat in his crib. Later, the father installed a batting cage and a pitching machine in the backyard. John Giambi, a Mickey Mantle fan and onetime junior college catcher, tutored Jason on his swing -- just as Mantle was tutored by his father. Jason wore No. 7, Mantle's number. The elder Giambi intended to make his son a switch-hitter, like Mantle. But Jason, who batted left-handed, wouldn't go for it.